A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

was out robbing the neighbors—if we had any. Or why else
would he make it sound like an accusation? I raised my chin a notch. “I couldn’t
sleep.”
    “Next time you can’t sleep, call me,”
Kieran said. I shuddered at how much he looked and sounded like Aidan.
    Aidan glowered. “Please ignore my dear
brother. He’s slightly confused these days.”
    My heart fluttered in my chest. It was the
longest I’d been able to stare at Aidan without looking stupid. I felt like a
schoolgirl having her first crush, but it couldn’t be a crush because Cameron
and I weren’t over. Clare’s voice jerked me out of my thoughts.
    “Sorry?”
    “I said did you find anything interesting?”
Clare asked.
    Heat scorched my cheeks. What a weird question,
as though she suspected something. She couldn’t be. “Not really. I just needed
some fresh air.”
    Aidan scoffed and rose from his chair,
slamming a book on a nearby coffee table. “Well, then, it’s all sorted, isn’t
it?”
    “Maybe you aren’t in the mood for company
tonight?” Blake asked.
    “We still have business to discuss,” Aidan
said, “and Amber will probably want to relax after a long working week.”
    Working week? Huh? I blinked. Right. I had
been working. Sort of. I had also been enjoying the last rays of sun in the
garden, but it was part of my household duties to check the exterior of the
house remained in pristine condition, or so I told myself. Aidan was still
staring at me. I realized this was my hint to leave. My leg brushed against
Kieran’s as I stood, placing my full glass next to the other untouched ones. “I
should get going. Thanks for the invite.”
    Kieran jumped to his feet and offered his
arm with an amused glint in his pale eyes. Aidan crossed the room in two long
strides and placed a hand on the small of my back, barely touching the
material.
    “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Aidan
said. I nodded.
    “That’s so like Aidan. Dying to sink his
teeth into my dates,” Kieran said. “Just kidding, bro.”
    I offered Kieran a tentative smile,
deciding I wouldn’t take him seriously, as Aidan guided me out of the library
through the kitchen and out the back door into the garden.
    It was so dark I hardly could make out his
features. The moon—a half crescent on the black sky—moved from
behind the clouds, throwing glowing shadows across his skin. His eyes shimmered
as he pulled me down on a bench and sat beside me. I shivered but not from the
cold. My heartbeat sped up. What could he possibly have to say that he needed
time in private? Maybe he was about to fire me.
    He moistened his lips and stared at the
lawn as he spoke, “Last night we were worried about you.”
    “Why?” I spun to face him, surprised. He
certainly was hard to read. One moment, he seemed irritated by my presence,
avoiding me at all costs. The next, he seemed concerned about my wellbeing. Why
would he care anyway?
    Aidan shrugged. “You’re used to city life
and may overlook the possibility of threat. There’s danger everywhere, not just
on the busy streets of London.”
    “I’m aware of that. Thanks for your concern.”
I knew I sounded tetchy, but I couldn’t help it. For a moment, I had thought he
cared because he liked me. He was just my boss. We barely knew each other, and
he dated Clare. I wished I could be angry with his stunning girlfriend, but to
my chagrin I realized she was as nice as she was beautiful.
    “No problem,” Aidan said. “We’re one big
family here, and I want you to consider yourself part of it. It must be hard to
be away from everyone you know, all alone here with no one around. If there’s
anything I can do, just say it.”
    As he grinned, a dimple formed on his right
cheek. My heart quivered. Men like him should come with a warning: date at your
own risk. I smiled at my thoughts, then felt instantly guilty. Cameron and I
weren’t really over. He just needed space for a few months to sort out his plans
for the future. It wasn’t right to sit here with a gorgeous guy, engaging in all
sorts of naughty thoughts.
    “I really appreciate your concern.” I moved
away from him. It was only a few inches, but I noticed his smile disappear.
    “Would you like to go back inside?” Aidan
asked.
    “Sure. I know you have important business
to discuss.” I forced a bit of cheerfulness into my voice, but didn’t quite
manage to sound nonchalant.
    Without another word, Aidan led me down the
path to the kitchen and held the